


tell me 'don't' so I can crawl back in

by city_of_suns



Series: give me one good honest kiss and i'll be alright [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Avatar: The Rise of Kyoshi
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, F/F, Gen, Miscommunication, and frankly it's a painful death, and they were roommates (oh my god they were roommates), kirima pov thank you kirima for your patience we love you queen, no queer subtext only queer context we die with honor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:33:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27189376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/city_of_suns/pseuds/city_of_suns
Summary: Anonymous said: How about a modern rangshi fic where Rangi plans on confessing her feelings to Kyoshi but then she saw Yun laying his head on Kyoshi’s lap and they were smiling and giggling. Thinking that she was too late she decided to avoid Kyoshi and when Kyoshi noticed that Rangi was avoiding her, decided to ask her what’s wrong 🥺👉🏻👈🏻I said: it’s been a minute since I got this ask because I don’t have time to write it as a whole fic (even if I want to), at least until I finish current events (which should be shorter than the dancer AU) so the plan is now a collection of one-shots on ao3! here’s the one-shot for the original prompt. I took some liberties and the story isn’t quite finished, but here’s part one. enjoy!
Relationships: Kirima & Kyoshi (Avatar), Kirima & Rangi (Avatar), Kirima & Yun (Avatar), Kyoshi & Rangi, Kyoshi & Rangi & Yun (Avatar), Kyoshi & Yun (Avatar), Kyoshi/Rangi (Avatar)
Series: give me one good honest kiss and i'll be alright [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1984787
Comments: 19
Kudos: 71





	1. baby, time is so sad, keep running for me

Kirima figures that Rangi’s learning how hard it is to avoid your own roommates. After nearly fifteen years of running around the world with Wong and Lek, she sympathizes. Wong because he’s the emotional equivalent of velcro, Lek because he’s the emotional equivalent to gas to a fire when you’re irritated.

Despite the sympathy, though, Kirima is thoroughly amused and very, very tired.

Rangi, Kyoshi and Yun are their own little family, and little could disturb them. But tonight, Kirima watches Rangi try to steal away from the kitchen with her plate to eat dinner in her room for the second night in a row and Kyoshi’s look of hurt and realizes that maybe  _ this _ could, so Kirima crosses the apartment, chides Lek into eating dinner, and then knocks on Rangi’s shared room with Kyoshi.

“What?” Rangi’s voice filters through, and there’s no excess emotion there that Kirima would hate to handle, so she opens the door to the girl eating noodles cross-legged on her bed.

“This is a little pathetic, even for you, Topknot.”

Rangi sighs. 

“Go away, Kirima.”

“Oh no, not even a ‘fuck off.’ Our good hotwoman has been laid low by the epic highs and lows of college romance.”

“Fine, then. Fuck off, Kirima.”

“Oh, I’ll never recover,” Kirima says, miming being shot in the heart.

“Good,” Rangi mumbles into her bowl.

“You know I’m right, though.” Kirima drags a chair from Rangi’s Ikea desk to straddle it and sit facing its backrest. Rangi watches with eyes that track every movement, already gearing up defences for any more conversation barbs to come her way. 

“I have to know what you’re referring to first,” Rangi says. 

“The  _ incident _ ,” Kirima says with crisp emphasis, “although, really, it wasn’t that big a deal. Personally, I hate to see you this way. I have a feeling you’ve literally never avoided anything in your life before and you’re doing it  _ terribly _ ,” she said. “It’s an affront to avoiding things. If you’re going to repress your emotions, do it a bit better. You’re ruining dinner time.” Rangi scowled at her, and then down at her noodles as she took another bite and pointed her chopsticks at Kirima.

“I would be avoiding them a lot better if you would  _ leave _ ,” she said.

“Stop bullshitting me,” Kirima said. 

The truth? Yeah, Kirima could see why Rangi was avoiding Kyoshi and Yun, because it was almost Kirima’s fault. Almost. 

Kirima  _ could _ start from the beginning, but that would be getting away from herself. And she certainly doesn’t want to admit to Rangi that she’s been keeping tabs on Kyoshi’s love life. For a girl convinced that she was an unlovable burden, Kyoshi managed to be a universally loved figure in their household. Kirima would be lying if it wasn’t good entertainment, but she knew where to draw the line.

Which brought her to yesterday, just before the first dinner Rangi had skated off on.

“So you see your best friends sharing a romantic moment. His head’s in her lap, she’s looking down on him, the flowers you left for her are being shredded because she’s endearingly organized and also because of my pollen allergy, there’s a lovely afternoon light filtering through the windows, and everyone knows to leave them alone because they’ve been circling each other for weeks,” Kirima says, hands waving in the air to emphasize the words she’s using, and then drops them. “And you, my dear idiot…”

“Kirima.”

“You just walk in.” Which is something Kirima let her do, but that’s beside the point. She hadn’t thought  _ this  _ would be the reaction, because Rangi didn’t run away from things. Usually. This was a fluke.

“Where are you going with this?”

“I don’t know, where  _ am _ I going with this?” Rangi rolls her eyes, but she looks uncharacteristically defeated, hands clenching the bowl in her lap. 

“Well?” Rangi lets out a small sigh and looks down.

“I love her,” she says. “But you already know that.”

“Yeah, everyone from here to the Upper Ring knows that.”

“Except Kyoshi,” Rangi says.

“Except Kyoshi,” Kirima affirms. “But Yun knows it, too.” Rangi winces.

“He probably does, doesn’t he?”

“Oh, definitely. I mean, even Lek has picked up on it, so I don’t know what to tell you.”

“Yeah, no, let’s get back to what you’re telling me.  _ What _ are you doing here, again?”

“Not entirely sure,” Kirima says. “Thought you might need someone to talk to before you go get your girl.”

“Not getting her,” Rangi says. “But thanks.” Kirima raises an eyebrow.

“You’re not?”

“No?”

“No. She found someone who makes her feel loved. I think I’ll leave her to it.” Rangi gives Kirima a fond, sad smile that seems to surprise both of them with its honesty. Kirima smiles back.

“Okay, well, if you need to suffer come do it at dinner and stop making everyone else feel terrible too. Okay?” She holds out a hand to Rangi on the bed, and they shake.

“Deal. Now, hopefully Kyoshi’s eaten or I’m going to kick her ass.”

“Wow, you’re already back in business! This went better than I thought it would.”

“Fuck off.”

“Rude!”

As it turns out, Kyoshi has barely touched her dinner, which could have been predicted with her best friend missing from the table.

“Kyoshi,” Rangi says threateningly as she plunks her bowl down, “it’s been a good ten minutes since you grabbed that bowl. Why haven’t you touched it?”

“I, uh,” Kyoshi stares at Rangi as she scoots her chair in. “I was worried about you?”

“Well, stop worrying and eat.”

“Are you going to tell us why you’ve been avoiding us, Rangi?” Yun pipes up from where he’s sitting on Kyoshi’s side. 

“I haven’t."

“Rangi, you were sitting down watching Omashu’s Got Talent and got up when I sat down next to you. I was hurt. That’s our thing! You can’t just abandon our thing!” Yun’s arms cross in annoyance.

“I talked to Kirima about it,” Rangi says. “It’s all good.”

“Is it, though?”

“Shut up, Kirima.”

“This is why our dialogues never go anywhere. You’re too mean to me.”

“Like you don’t deserve it.”

“Stop being so rude, we just bonded!”

“Okay,” Kyoshi says, intervening. “So we’re all good?”

“Yeah,” Rangi says, smiling,“We’re good.”


	2. even distance is devotion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> @mossridden said: rangshi + not paying attention in class
> 
> I said: You aren’t funny. At all. But still, your wish is my command. I added this to the Nobody Fics. Have fun <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am once again updating at 12 AM after barely editing the first draft. Apologies, have some pining!Rangi I pray it's well done but I don't know enough about what I've typed to answer that question

The apartment’s current state this evening is becoming an increasingly worse place for Rangi to try and even start on the work in front of her.

A kernel of kettle corn bounces off of Yun’s nose. He makes a sad face as it hits the floor and joins a dozen of its brethren. Rangi tries not to let her eye twitch from across the room. In the beginning, she had allowed it because it had been a good study break. Now, nearly an extra fifteen minutes later, though...

“Dammit,” Kyoshi whispers, one hand fidgeting with the pen in her hand while one reaches into the bowl to take a handful. Jinpa, who is actually studying on the side on the table in between them, looks amused, but his headphones are still on.

“Try throwing them more up,” Yun says. “I think that would work better.” 

“So, like, letting it arc in the air?” 

“Yeah. Just, whoosh!” Yun throws his hypothetical (and lofty) kettle corn towards Kyoshi as she places her handful on his half-filled notebook, throwing some into her mouth before slouching down and squinting at him to aim once again. 

“Okay...ready?”

“Yeah.” Yun tilts his head up, opening his mouth. Kyoshi laughs, a hand reaching towards Yun, looking wholly like he’s her sun and she is something orbiting around him, basking in his warmth. Rangi’s thumb worries over her lips. She doesn’t look away from them. Her heart manages to stutter and sink at the same time at the scene before her, because Kyoshi looks  _ so happy _ ; and Rangi knows it’s been a while since she’s been like that. If she’s happy, then Rangi is doing her job. She’s happy, and Rangi is in love.

“You look kind of like the  _ Jaws _ poster.” 

“Oh, he does, doesn’t he?” Jinpa’s headphones are half off now. Rangi  _ knows _ she should stop this; but she’s so desperately trying to  _ be _ less overbearing now that all is settled with their world.

She can’t even lie to herself because a smaller part of her just wants to keep watching because every time Kyoshi misses a shot. Her nose crinkles a little bit in distaste right before she laughs and frankly, it’s adorable. No matter how much Yun should be studying so that he can finally pass his classes and transfer to Ba Sing Se’s university, no matter how much Kyoshi should be over with Rangi on the couch, helping her with the spreadsheet.

No need to beat a dead ostrich-horse. Rangi’s going to have to learn how to lose a fight. It stings, a lot, but Rangi thinks she could be content to watch Kyoshi hide her smile behind a hand, unsure how to be  _ loud _ now that she’s finally allowed to be, for the rest of eternity. 

“Well, just like  _ Jaws _ , I am dangerous when hungry. Please continue.”

“Shhh, then.”

The kernel leaves Kyoshi’s hand. 

“She shoots,” Jinpa says. It arcs. Yun moves towards it. It lands squarely in his mouth. “She SCORES!” All three of them cheer, Yun and Kyoshi high-fiving each other from across the table, and Jinpa punches the air with his fists. 

Yun smirks at Kyoshi. “How about we go for three in a row?”

“Don’t you have work to do?” Kyoshi’s previously outstretched arms are now sliding his notebook across the table, and she pushes in her chair as she stands up. Yun sticks his tongue out at her.

“Everything I do is meaningful,” he says. “With me, it’s all a learning experience.” Despite his words, though, he unlocks his previously asleep computer and picks up a pen, turning to a blank page in his notebook.

“I’d call it  _ an _ experience, definitely,” Rangi mutters.

“Oh, I’m sorry, do I hear something from the hermit in the corner?”

“Shh, focus on the learning,” Jinpa says, miming patting Yun on the head. He earns himself a mock glare from the other side of the table.

“Two hermits!” Kyoshi says cheerfully, plopping next to her friend on the couch. “Hi, Rangi.”

“Hey, you.” They’re both at a loss for words for a moment as Rangi studies the slight blush of joy dusting across Kyoshi’s cheeks, now up close and personal and yeah, she can see herself being distracted by that. Fortunately for the both of them, though, Rangi didn’t grow up in a military household for nothing. She can hear her mother’s drill sergeant voice. She can embody it, too. “Finally remember you have actual duties to be attending to?”

“Mhm. Like this,” Kyoshi says, wrapping her arms around Rangi and using them to pull her into the embrace to rest her chin on the other girl’s shoulder.

“Sweet, but no,” Rangi says, trying not to melt into the half of Kyoshi’s body behind her.. She pokes fingers into Kyoshi’s stomach, but to no avail. “Kyoshi. C’mon.”

“Sh. This is my most important duty.” 

“What, annoying me to death?”

“Giving you a hug when you look like you need one.”

“I—okay. Fine. Thirty more seconds.” 

“You’re going to time my hug?” Kyoshi’s turned her head towards Rangi, and her breath sends a strand of Rangi’s hair (and any sharp rebuke that may have emerged from the exchange) skittering away. Rangi lets out a shaky exhale and lets herself fall into Kyoshi’s arms. It was unfair that she was comfy _ and  _ touchy. Goddamn people with affectionate parents, being raised and told that touching others was okay and then growing up tall and muscular and easy to hug. 

When Rangi passes, she’s going to have a word with Kelsang. And maybe Jesa and Hark, although the first part of the conversation would be less thanking them (no, rebuking them. Rebuking them) for their daughter’s god-like physique and more yelling. And maybe some fistfighting. Probably both, and a good-aimed kick or two would convey her message well, too. 

Rangi can’t imagine  _ not _ wanting Kyoshi. She’s lucky enough to get these parts to keep. And if there’s ever a way she meets Jesa and Hark—and maybe she even has, in those remnants scattered around Kirima and Wong’s apartment—Rangi’s going to lord over the privilege of loving their daughter. Yeah, certainly the best decision in her life.

Also the worst. Can’t have one without the other. The hug may have lasted longer than thirty seconds. In fact, Rangi does all the typing without complaint because she refuses to interrupt Kyoshi’s sudden cuddly bout, and from her chin’s perch on Rangi’s shoulder Kyoshi holds her phone with Hei-Ran’s documents pulled up and helps Rangi with the data entry. They work together without a hitch, until Rangi (who always falls asleep and wakes up earlier than Kyoshi) finds herself drawn to Kyoshi’s warmth like a sleepy kid fascinated with dreamy wonders. 

While downloading a document and in between the blinking of her eyes through molasses, Rangi trails the tips of her fingers from the joint of Kyoshi’s thumb to the crook of her elbow, she plays with a strand of her that’s fallen over Kyoshi’s shoulder to her own, and then her eyes begin to droop. There’s only about half of the download bar buzzing blue on the screen, so Rangi decides it’s safe to relax for a moment. 

**Author's Note:**

> there will be a happy ending. eventually. @herglowinggirl on tumblr come bother me before my nanowrimo hiatus <3


End file.
